Pie...Oh My!

I am sure it is ridiculous to some of you that I have a fear of baking.  It is just so precise!  Measuring (or in my case, weighing) everything has to be the right temperature....AHHH!  It makes for a frazzled basilmomma!

I had a stroke of inspiration the other day when I was at The Fresh Market.  They had the prettiest red rhubarb and I just knew I could make something out of it.  It was already all trimmed up and ready to go.  I went around the corner and smack dab in the middle of the isle was a display of beautiful strawberries.  I mean, who could pass those by??

I of course bought some and when we got home I decided that I was going to make a pie.  I had a frozen crust in the freezer so I knew I was good to go.  When I got home I got out all of my ingredients and got started.  My husband sauntered in the kitchen and just shook his head.  I thought it was because it was 9:00 at night and I was making a pie or that I had sworn off sweets for a while.  NO, wrong on both counts.  He was shocked to see that now that I had this awesome new food processor that I was not making my own crust.  See, this had been my excuse for years.  I really thought (and saw on popular cooking shows) that you had to have one to make a good crust.

I looked at him and said that he was right.  Plus, I knew I had a good recipe.  Martha Stewart's Foolproof Pie Recipe .  I knew that now I had all the makings for a great pie so I got to work.  I am not going to go through all of the steps for the crust as I have supplied the link but it all went off without a hitch :)

This is my filling for a great strawberry-rhubarb pie or tart.  I have used this several different ways.  I hope you like it!

Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie

1 pound rhubarb, cut into small pieces
1 pound strawberries, cut into large chunks (they will shrink)
3 TB of cornstarch
3/4 C sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp of fresh lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
2 TB butter cut into slivers over filing before top crust
egg white wash/Turbinado sugar

Add cut rhubarb and strawberries to a bowl and toss with lemon, vanilla and the sugar/cornstarch/cinnamon (that you mixed in a little bowl).

Add to your pie dish over the unbaked crust.  Cover with a top crust.  Cut slits in top and brush a beaten egg white over the top.  Sprinkle with the sugar.

I then will place the completely made yet UNBAKED pie in the refrigerator while the oven pre-heats to 400 degrees.  Bake for 45 or so minutes or until top crust is golden.  I tend to over bake....don't do this :)

An egg wash with a little Turbinado sugar makes for such a pretty crust !

I hope you enjoy this!  I also made this for my Mom for Mother's Day.  It makes a great little bite in the morning as you stand at the counter with your son and a fork and "just have a little...".

Let this sit for a few hours to come together and thicken.  Don't be like my husband and I and stand there and eat steaming, fresh from the oven pie.  You will burn your mouth..Like me :)